Tourism Minister says

  • Sep, Wed, 2024

Jensen La Vende

Senior Reporter

jensen.lavende@guardian.co.tt

The 2025 Socadrome is on!

The alternative venue to the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain for the Parade of the Bands for Carnival Monday and Tuesday, was feared cancelled after the Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SPORTT) issued a media statement saying that the Jean Pierre Complex would be undergoing renovations for the next eight months.

In the statement, SPORTT said repairs included the refinishing of floors and walls, painting and refurbishment of the concession areas, with the scope of works also including replacement of the ceiling, windows, doors and seating, washroom and roof repairs and installation of the scoreboard.

The refurbishment was approved by Cabinet earlier this year at a cost of just over $34 million.

SPORTT said the renovations will be completed by Moosai Development Construction (Caribbean) Limited, while the project manager is the Urban Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago (Udecott).

Asked about the impact that the renovations may have on the Socadrome yesterday, however, Tourism, Culture and the Arts Minister Randall Mitchell said Udecott had assured him that all the work being done would not impact the Socadrome.

“The work is not intended at this time, to interrupt the Socadrome and the preparations for the Socadrome for Carnival. They will go about their scope of works in such a way as to leave that open area there available for the Socadrome,” Mitchell said.

He added that Udecott was working with the understanding that the Socadrome would be there for Carnival Monday and Tuesday, as well as four additional days for the construction and deconstruction of the Socadrome.

He emphasised that the position at this time was to have the Socadrome operational for Carnival 2025.

Mitchell said work was supposed to have started this Carnival, but with the passage of the procurement legislation, there was some delay. He added that there were thoughts of moving the Socadrome if the repairs at the Jean Pierre Complex was going to interrupt it.

“We had explored options like Nelson Mandela Park, a field behind Udecott, but we were able to use it (Jean Pierre Complex). Now that work has started under Moosai Construction, they know the importance of it to the Carnival,” he said.

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